Technology employment expands its presence in Missouri’s workforce

Wednesday

Mar 27, 2019 at 7:30 PM

Technology-related employment in Missouri grew by more than 5,700 new jobs in 2018 and the tech sector increased its contribution to the state's economy, according to Cyberstates 2019, the definitive guide to national, state and metropolitan area tech sector and tech workforce analytics published annually by CompTIA, the leading technology industry association

Technology-related employment in Missouri grew by more than 5,700 new jobs in 2018 and the tech sector increased its contribution to the state's economy, according to Cyberstates 2019, the definitive guide to national, state and metropolitan area tech sector and tech workforce analytics published annually by CompTIA, the leading technology industry association.

Net tech employment grew by an estimated 5,736 jobs in 2018, a 2.8 percent increase over 2017. Since 2010, net tech employment has grown by more than 37,600 new jobs. With more than 209,000 workers, tech accounts for approximately 7 percent of the Missouri workforce.

The tech sector has an estimated direct economic impact of $22 billion, or about 7.6 percent of Missouri's total economy.

"Clearly the broad-based impact of the tech industry touches virtually every community, industry and market across Missouri, especially when you consider the thousands of knowledge workers who rely on technology to do their jobs," said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA.

The outlook for future employment growth remains positive. Missouri saw a 70 percent increase in the number of job postings related to emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, smart cities, drones, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and blockchain.

Cyberstates projects the base of tech occupation employment – a subset of net tech employment will grow by 8.9 percent in Missouri by 2026. Retirements will add even more pressure to meet the need for tech talent.

"The findings attest to a tech labor market that will remain tight as employers balance short-term needs with an eye towards the future," said Tim Herbert, senior vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. "As digital-human models begin to unfold, employers and employees alike will face new challenges – and opportunities, in shaping the workforce of tomorrow."